Godzilla vs King Kong
by C. L. Werner
Summary: Following the events of Godzilla vs Destroyer, peace settles on Japan. But how will that peace be kept when King Kong returns? Complete at last. Read the entire epic.
1. Secrets

Godzilla vs ****

Godzilla vs. King Kong

By C. L. Werner

I

Secrets

The young captain struggled to match the steps of Senator Arthur Kolchack as the old man stormed down the sterile, gloomy corridors. The Senator's face was frozen into a mask of determination. He ignored the stammering protests of the captain like an elephant being pursued by a yapping terrier. Finally, with a short burst of speed, the green-garbed captain was blocking Senator Kolchack's path.

"Remove yourself from my way, Captain" growled the Senator. The young captain stood indecisive for a moment before resuming his place at the Senator's side.

"Sir, I must protest," the captain yapped. "General Farnsworth is in meeting with his staff. If you will make an appointment, the General will be happy to see you at a later time." Senator Kolchack stopped and spun about on his heel, glaring into the captain's face.

"The General will see me right now!" thundered Senator Kolchack, drawing the attention of two passing GIs, "I'll blow the whistle on what he's got here."

The captain recovered from the Senator's overwhelming presence and replied contritely. "Whatever secrets this installation contains are of national interest and to divulge them would be…" Senator Kolchack cut the army officer off.

"You tell General Farnsworth that he will see me right now!" snapped the Senator. "You tell him that I know what he has here and unless he sees me the press will too." The Senator paused and sneered at the captain. 

"You tell him that I know Kong is here!"

Ten minutes later, Senator Kolchack was walking slowly beside the gray-headed General Farnsworth in a restricted area of the base.

"How much do you know?" General Farnsworth said by way of greeting once they were alone.

"Not much, only, now that you're here, I know that Kong is too. Otherwise, why see me?" the Senator replied pointedly. General Farnsworth merely shrugged.

"I guess that with an operation this wide in scope, leaks were bound to develop," he stated glumly.

"What I don't understand, General, is why."

The General looked at Senator Kolchack for a moment before opening a door on his left.

"You might as well know the whole truth as a part of it" he declared, ushering the Senator before him through the door. Beyond was a large, brightly-lit room with numbers of white-coated technicians working at tables and feeding numbers into computer banks. A squad of armed soldiers snapped to attention and saluted as the General entered. General Farnsworth led Senator Kolchack to a table and pointed at a beaker containing brown-tinted water. 

"That is what it is all about," he said. "Spring water from Skull Island." The General paused to laugh. "How those surveyors from Petrox missed it, I don't know, but that whole damn island is riddled with deposits of uranium. The spring water bubbles up through this layer of uranium, becoming somewhat radioactive. Naturally, this radiation is passed on up the food chain by the animals that drink the water.

"Now, radiation can cause abnormal cellular growth. Cancer is a well-known example of this. But some peculiar property in the water on Skull Island causes the radiation to result in not cancer but gigantism."

"Resulting in monsters such as Kong," interrupted the Senator.

"Yes," admitted the General. "Our boys had a tough job clearing out some of the nastier critters on that island when we built Camp Cooper there. And, it was then that we learned of an even more amazing property of this water." General Farnsworth leaned into Senator Kolchack's face.

"Have you ever asked yourself how Kong survived his fall from the World Trade Center or how he survived being shot full of holes after rampaging through Virginia? It is because the water makes Kong invulnerable!" Senator Kolchack stared at the General in disbelief. General Farnsworth hastily continued.

"Oh, I don't mean that he's never going to die. But that water makes him heal almost any wound in a rather short amount of time. Why, once we removed that mechanical heart those university eggheads put in him, Kong grew a new heart! Perhaps the proper word is he regenerated it.

"All those years they were trying to keep Kong alive after his fall they didn't realize they were actually preventing him from healing on his own. Guess Nature knew better.

"Now, Senator, I'm sure that you can see why the military is interested in studying Kong. If we can find a way to impart Kong's regenerative abilities without bestowing giantism as well, we will be able to virtually eliminate our casualties in war. But before we can hope to test this out on volunteers, we have to neutralize the giantism, both for psychological reasons as well as tactical ones. It is hard to maintain the element of surprise or remain hidden when you're ten feet tall."

Senator Kolchack looked at General Farnsworth. "Where is Kong?" he asked. General Farnsworth rose and led Senator Kolchack through a door at the far end of the room. The Senator gasped at what he saw on the other side.

The second room was cavernous, the size of three aircraft hangars. Dozens of soldiers, flame-throwers and disposable LAW rockets at the ready, stood guard over an enormous black-furred form which spanned nearly the entire room. Like some bestial Guliver, Kong's body was secured to the floor by heavy chains. Tubes as thick as garden hoses led into the great ape's veins, carrying sedatives to ensure the giant's stupor. The sound of Kong's breathing filled the room. Senator Kolchack turned angrily on the General.

"My God!" he exclaimed. "He's twice as big as he was before! He must be at least 150 feet tall!"

"Actually, Kong is 165 feet, 8 inches" replied the General matter-of-factly. "As you can see, giving him more of the Skull Island water has caused him to continue to grow."

"I won't have it!" thundered Senator Kolchack. "Not here, not in my state! If Kong ever got loose again… I owe it to my constituents to give you an ultimatum, General. Get Kong out of here or I'm going to have CNN in here!"

"If that's what you want, Senator…"

* * * * *

"If that's what you want, Colonel, I am sure that it can be arranged, though I hardly see the point." Commander Aso looked at the dark-haired Japanese officer who sat before him. The man was handsome still, one of the youngest men to ever achieve the rank of colonel in the history of Japan. Nomura had a promising career ahead of him in the Self Defense Force, but there was a specter of hate that lived inside Colonel Kenji Nomura, a specter which was born in the hook that terminated his left arm. The hand had been lost defending Tokyo from Godzilla in 1984. Nomura had lain buried in rubble for three days before he was rescued. By that time, his hand was beyond saving.

"I beg to disagree," contested Colonel Nomura politely. "The older Godzilla is gone. The younger remains. Japan must remain prepared. Vigilant."

"I understand how you feel, Colonel," said Commander Aso sympathetically. 'I too was obsessed with destroying the beast, only after it was dead could I live again. But this new Godzilla is different. Manageable. We have nothing to fear from him. If Miss. Saegusa can convince an old warhorse like me of this, I am sure that you will come to see it in a more clear light." Colonel Nomura rose to his feet.

"Please forward my request to the Prime Minister. The weapon will be ready for his inspection at 16:00 hours." The Colonel started to leave but turned and addressed his superior once more. "Disbanding the GCC would be a mistake - a dangerous one."

At four o'clock, the Prime Minister of Japan stood between Director Serizawa and Commander Aso in the cavernous hangar of the UNGCC. He had stood here before on several occasions. Here had been unveiled Garuda, Mechagodzilla, MOGERA, Super X-III. Only the Super X-III remained, now keeping the peace in Bosnia. The others were technological casualties in the war against Godzilla - a war which Japan had finally won.

Colonel Nomura bowed low before his nation's leader. When he straightened, it was almost in mid-sentence. "I am pleased that you came, Mr. Prime Minister. As you know, when we recovered the cybernetic components of Mecha-King Ghidorah to construct Mechagodzilla, we also recovered the organic remains of the monster." Colonel Nomura nodded to a waiting technician who raced away.

"We have studied the monster's cells and have discovered it to be synthetic - a clone of the King Ghidorah fought by Godzilla in 1992. We have been able to clone these cells in turn, but not only reproduce them but also alter their structure to better suit our needs. Dr. Weissmann, Germany's foremost geneticist likens the cloned King Ghidorah cells to organic clay. Just see what we have molded that clay into!" Colonel Nomura nodded to the technician, now far below on the hangar floor. The man pressed a button on a consul at his side. The great doors of the hangar opened with a mechanical roar. Another roar accompanied it.

A monster lumbered out from the giant cell beyond the doors - a nightmarish hybrid of beast and machine - a cyborg. The creature's scaly hide was black-blue, a golden 'X' crossing across its chest and more gold scales running down its back. On its back were three wings shaped like fins. Its head was that of a gargoyle, beaked and with a rank of horns running from forehead to back. On either side of the beak was a mandible of shining adamantium, above the beak was a blood-red visor, the only eye the monster could claim. Down its belly ran a line of adamantium spikes while its arms terminated in long scythe-like blades of the super-metal. The monster stopped just beyond the door and stood at attention before the horrified men on the platform.

"He stands 65 meters tall, much smaller than the old Godzilla but actually a little taller than the one with which we are now concerned. He is capable of flight while the 'third wing' along his back soaks up solar energy to feed him, both through photosynthesis and powering his mechanical energy cells. Just above his eye there is a solar cannon, a weapon which has become a part of his body and converts the sun's energy into a deadly beam. The blades on his belly act as a giant chainsaw. The blades on his hands speak for themselves." Colonel Nomura turned and smiled at the silent monster.

"I give you Gigan!"

*****

Vander Van Hise did not like to see the foul brown clouds outside his window, did not like to be reminded of the horrible polluted world outside. So the office of the CEO of the Machen Armament Research Syndicate was lit only by the pale artificial light in the ceiling. The middle-aged executive played absently with a bust of the writer H. G. Wells which acted as paperweight upon his desk. He looked at the other men seated around him in the room.

"As you know," he said in an unhealthy voice, "we have fared quite well in the post-cold war world. While our competitors withered and died in this new 'peaceful' world the Soviets left us, we evolved. We sold America another enemy, an enemy we offered to protect it from. Sadly, as you know, a very profitable enterprise has been ended. Godzilla is dead; we have no need to develop weapons to protect America from him anymore. Our 1/2 scale proto-type robot is liable to be the only one which we construct as Japan assures us that the remaining Godzilla poses no threat. Gentlemen, unless we do something, this is the end of MARS." There was a general rumble of discussion in the room. Van Hise raised his hand for silence.

"I have recently learned that our own monster, King Kong, is still alive and in the hands of the army. The army is moving Kong to a facility in Alaska this week. Now, if something should happen, if Kong were to escape while being transferred, the fallout would be most profitable for us. Without a doubt, our robot would be dispatched to subdue Kong, thereby proving itself in battle. And, a short rampage on the part of King Kong would serve to reestablish the threat of giant monsters in the small minds in Washington and our contract to build a full scale robot will be renewed.

"Gentlemen, I see good things for MARS in the future."


	2. King Kong Escapes

Godzilla vs ****

Godzilla vs. King Kong

By C. L. Werner

II

King Kong Escapes

The Arizona night was cold and silent, broken only by the distant howling of coyotes. Two men stood, silent and grim in the black of the desert night. One of the men placed a pair of heavy binoculars to his eyes and pierced the darkness with the low-light scope. He focused upon the barely visible steel rails that writhed across the sand like a pair of frozen serpents. He could not see the small, shaped charges attached to the tracks at this distance, but he knew that they were there. MARS had hired the best their money could buy. Vice-president Maxford was certain that all would go according to plan. When the wreck was investigated, there would be enough 'unprofessional' touches to make the government look at militia groups rather than high-priced saboteurs. Maxford's only concern was that MARS' target performed as they desired.

The train suddenly entered the range of Maxford's night-vision binoculars. The executive watched in anticipatory fascination as the speeding military train drew ever closer to the demolition charges. Maxford wiped the sweat from his perspiring brow and licked his suddenly dry lips.

The explosion ripped across the night like the wrathful cry of a malevolent god of war. Far off could be seen the starburst of the fiery blast, shards of twisted steel scattering across the desert floor. The engine destroyed, the other cars barreled through the holocaust, until the lead car flew from the tracks, pulling the others after it to lie in a chaotic jumbled of steel a hundred yards from the still burning remains of the engine.

Secondary explosions still came from the remains of the engine as pockets of fuel and other combustibles were ignited by the flames. Maxford could not hear the moans of survivors at this distance, though he could see a few dark silhouettes stumbling away from the wreckage. Still, the executive remained immobile. 

Suddenly, a tremendous roar shook the night. The side of one of the toppled rail cars burst and flew into the night sky. A broken, charred black fist rose over the lip of the rail car's opening and crumpled the steel as its fingers grabbed the metal. Another powerful arm followed, blood oozing from dozens of lacerations. The powerful muscles rippled beneath the black-furred hide as the arms pulled an enormous black body from the car. The huge simian head emerged first, bloodshot, beady eyes adjusting to the flickering firelight, huge mouth displaying man-sized fangs as the monster challenged whatever had harmed it. The arms flexed again, pulling the broad, immensely muscled torso from the twisted wreck. The huge ape swung from the top of the car, letting its short legs with their broad, splayed feet sink into the desert sand.

The monster reared back his head and roared at the night sky, smashing his fists into his chest, making a dull, thumping drumlike sound punctuate the bellowing roar.

Vice-president Maxford turned to the silent man at his side.

"Time to go, Stanley," the man said, his eyes still glued upon the roaring monster. "I think MARS can sit back now and just let nature takes its course."

*****

The huge, fortress-like complex stood alone in the mountains outside of Reno, Nevada. For almost ten years, the military base had stood in a state of constant alert, never knowing when and where the enemy would strike. But in recent months, the state of readiness at GARD - Godzilla Armed Response Division - had been stepped down. Godzilla was dead, his successor apparently docile and of no threat to humanity. Indeed, several times, it had been discussed in Congress whether or not GARD should be disbanded; its funding put to better use elsewhere. Thus far, more vigilant attitudes had prevailed, but the project's commanders wondered how long this would remain.

Two strangely shaped armored aircraft of immense size rested in the base's main hangar. The only two functioning examples of the American Eagle multi-purpose combat strike craft, the United States' answer to Japan's Super X program. At a cost of nearly 10 billion dollars each, the two aircraft were among the most expensive weapons ever constructed. There were some in the Pentagon who had secretly wished Godzilla would turn his attention to America just to see if the aircraft had been worth the expense. Already, some considered the untried strike craft to be obsolete. Their successor stood silent and immobile within the pit-like depression at the center of the hangar. The GARD insignia of a minuteman struggling with Godzilla covered the pit, but when its charge was called upon, the floor would iris open and reveal its contents.

Colonel Carl Armstrong raced across the hangar, his black pilot's fatigues immaculate, his highly polished helmet cradled in the crook of his left arm as he ran. The moustached officer passed a pair of armed sentries and entered GARD's war room. General O'Brien nodded at Colonel Armstrong as he entered and motioned for him to take a seat beside two identically garbed soldiers. The Colonel nodded at each in turn, the tall, lantern-jawed Captain Jack Cabot and the slight, intensely beautiful Captain Ann Wray. Col. Armstrong took his seat and waited for his superior to speak.

General O'Brien gestured for his adjutant, Lieutenant Delgado to lower the lights. The huge screen behind the General hissed into life.

"At 03:15 hours this morning, a military train was derailed in the Arizona desert 80 miles from Tucson." The General pointed to the aerial view of the wreck on the screen. "The exact cause of the derailment is being investigated, although terrorism is the present consensus. Our concern is not with the causes of the wreck, however, but its effects." General O'Brien indicated a huge, bestial print in the sand at the side of the wreck.

"The train was transporting the monster King Kong from Colorado to the naval base in San Diego for transport to a facility in Alaska." General O'Brien paused as the officers expressed their surprise. "Satellite tracking has Kong headed in a generally south-west direction. This will have him going through several population centers. Civilian casualties and property damage estimates are still being determined. Needless to say, the president feels that any collateral damage is unacceptable." 

"I take it that he has authorized the use of the MK-601 proto-type?" Col. Armstrong interrupted.

"Use of the robot has been authorized," General O'Brien replied. "It has been decide for several reasons to give you the first crack at Kong. It is felt that this weapon represents the best way to subdue Kong while keeping collateral damage at a minimum. Plus, it is the only way to subdue Kong without killing him."

"What are we supposed to do, Sir? Use harsh language?" Capt. Cabot sneered. The General chose to ignore the outburst.

"Kong is vital to General Farnsworth's Omega Warrior project. His capture, if feasible, is desired. You are being issued a selection of freon bombs and super tranquilizers to effect this. You will not, however be held accountable should Kong's capture prove infeasible or interfere with your primary mission objectives."

General O'Brien stared at the three pilots for a moment before motioning for Lt. Delgado to raise the lights. "This is an important mission, for many reasons. The safety of this country is depending on you. So is the future of GARD."

*****

The border patrol officer looked again at the license of the stout man behind the wheel of the truck. Already the hot Arizona sun was making the officer irritable, a fact which did little to ease the truck driver. The officer's mirrored sunglasses stared down at the driver for a moment, silence hanging between the two men.

"Alright, let's make sure you're carrying only melons," he said at last. The officer opened the door of the truck and made to let the driver out, but froze halfway through the motion. The driver's license fell from a suddenly numb hand. 

Climbing down the side of a craggy mesa not five miles from the road was a giant humanoid creature. Both men watched in stunned amazement as the black-furred monster scuttled down the rocks with amazing speed. When it reached the desert floor, the monster turned and began to slowly move in the direction of the road.

The border patrol officer scrambled into his car, turning the ignition with one hand as he screamed into his radio. The terrified officer was still making his report as his vehicle sped away from the approaching monster. The equally horrified man in the melon truck tried desperately to start his own vehicle, flooding his engine in the process. The man screamed as he saw the ape-like colossus walking on feet and knuckles toward the road and leapt from the cab of his truck, running for his life into the baking sands of the desert.

Kong drew near the road, watching it with a suspicious eye. Already, the burns, bruises and cuts from the train wreck had healed, leaving the giant ape's body unmarred. Only one concern plagued Kong now, hunger. In his nocturnal trek across the desert, the giant had managed to catch a few cattle, but the meat had done little to satisfy his enormous appetite. The odor of fruit had drawn Kong down from the top of the mesa, and now the giant inspected the source of that aroma. Kong batted the truck with an oversized hand, rocking it on its suspension. King Kong waited a moment for the truck to react. When it did not, he plunged one of his paws into the bed of the truck and raised a handful of melons to his mouth. Before long, the entire cargo had disappeared into the ape's gaping maw.

Kong strode away from the now empty truck, following the writhing, snake-like blacktop further south. The succulent fruit had been found along this path, and Kong was hopeful that more might be found. For almost an hour, the enormous ape continued to follow the road, now following alongside, since the warming asphalt had begun to sting his feet. Ahead, Kong could see the ground rising into a little hill, small buildings clustered about its top. Kong could see small shiny objects running along the blacktop, running away from him. He recognized them as being somewhat similar to the melon truck and increased his tremendous pace.

Kong's charge was interrupted by a blast of searing white light. The impact of the beam sent the giant ape rolling hundreds of yards across the desert sand. Kong rose to his feet, only to have the ground give way beneath him, sinking the ape to his waist. The giant roared angrily as he pulled himself from the mammoth sinkhole.

"That got him!" Captain Cabot shouted from his station at the weapons terminal.

"Keep him away from the town, Captain," Col. Armstrong reminded the weapons officer. "Live or dead, I don't want Kong anywhere near those buildings." The commander of the crew looked over his shoulder at Captain Wray. "Do a stress analysis of the ground. This area is honeycombed all over with old silver mines and I don't want us getting stuck like Kong."

"We might try a freon bomb before he frees himself," Captain Wray suggested. 

Kong slowly pulled himself from the pit when the monster ape froze. An emotion similar to wonder seized the giant as a strange object closed in upon him. It was huge, easily his own size, its gunmetal skin gleaming in the sunlight. Jets of flame from feet and back kept the massive shape airborne, but as Kong watched, the metal titan rotated in mid-air and came to rest on the baked earth.

It was humanoid in shape, parodying the visage of Kong himself. Short, thick legs supported a barrel chest with long, dangling arms. A metallic, ape-like head rose from the robot's shoulders, the weak point of a rotating neck having been avoided in the mech's design. A large, crystal-like pyramid topped the robot's head, the source of the intense energy beam that had struck Kong. As Kong watched his robot doppelganger, the machine raised one of its hands to the ring of cylindrical objects encircling its waist.

King Kong roared and leaped from the pit as the small silver cylinder flew through the air and impacted on the side of the depression. A cloud of icy crystalline mist rose from where the bomb impacted, quick-freezing the desert sand. Kong bellowed again at the silent machine as the robot reached for a second bomb. The giant ape parodied the robot's action and ripped a huge boulder from the ground and sent the stone hurtling toward the machine's head. It had nearly reached the robot when the golden beam shot out again from the crystal pyramid and struck the rock, reducing it to a shower of dust.

"He'll have to do better than that," declared Captain Cabot, smiling wide.

"Don't get over confidant, Jack," cautioned the Colonel. "The Mechani-Kong was designed to fight Godzilla, designed to withstand his radioactive fire. We don't know what kind of physical punishment it can take. If Kong manages to get a good hit in with one of those boulders he's tossing at us, this fight might be over before it begins."

"The Tesla ray will make him keep his distance," Cabot rejoined, triggering the weapon to destroy another incoming boulder.

King Kong beat his chest in frustration as the Mechani-Kong's Tesla ray blasted the second stone into rubble. The giant ape dodged as another freon bomb exploded almost at his very feet. The giant roared and beat his chest, dropping down to his knuckles. Before the crew of the robot could react, Kong was charging across the desert, determined to close upon his double and rend it with his powerful hands.

Kong was almost on top of the robot when the ground opened beneath him again. The giant ape stumbled into the hole. Before he could react, a pair of steel darts shot from openings in the Mechani-Kong's shoulders, sinking deep into Kong's chest and stomach. Kong still struggled to free himself as a second and then a third salvo sank into his hide.

"I don't think that it is advisable to give him any more," Captain Wray advised her commander. Colonel Armstrong nodded.

"We'll just give the tranquilizer a little time to take its effect. Jack, keep a ready finger on the Tesla ray in case the drugs don't work."

The Mechani-Kong stood a s still as a statue as Kong's movements became slower and more sluggish. The giant ape swayed drunkenly for a moment and then crashed into the side of the pit, his eyes barely open. The giant's breathing became deep and his arms flopped lifelessly at his sides. The Mechani-Kong waited for a few more minutes and then closed in upon the giant ape. From the robot's waist, a giant metal claw emerged and closed around King Kong's waist. The machine arm locked the monster to the robot. Mechani-Kong's thrusters ignited and slowly pulled the two giants into the sky.

"Well, I would say that ends Kong's holiday," Colonel Armstrong declared. The other members of the crew cheered their success.

Several hours later, the Mechani-Kong was flying six miles from the coast of British Columbia, the unconscious King Kong sleeping in the grip of the machine arm. Suddenly, warning lights beeped from Captain Wray's consul.

"Colonel! Stress increasing on the machine arm!" the Captain cried. Colonel Armstrong swore. 

"Why now? Another hour and he'd been safely locked away in the installation in Alaska," the Colonel cursed.

"The metal is starting to give, its not holding up to the strain of holding Kong's weight for such a prolonged period." Captain Wray desperately tried to do something to relieve the tension in the machine arm from her station, but there was nothing to be done. The sound of shearing metal was conducted to the crew from the exterior mics. The entire robot lurched as the tremendous weight of Kong's body left the machine. Cameras built into the Mechani-Kong showed King Kong's body with the claw of the machine arm still closed about his waist strike the water far below and sink below the surface.

"We have to go after him! He'll drown!" cried Captain Wray.

"With all of that exposed wiring from where the machine arm broke away?" Colonel Armstrong returned.

"There must be something we can do," declared Captain Cabot. The Colonel shook his head sadly.

"I'm afraid not. If we go in there after Kong, we might just stay there. I'm afraid that this part of our mission has to be declared a failure."

Colonel Armstrong watched the quickly dissipating wake where Kong had struck the water.

"Take us home, Ann. There's nothing more to be done here."


	3. Unexpected Developments

Godzilla vs ****

Godzilla vs. King Kong

By C. L. Werner

III

Unexpected Developments

"Gentlemen, things have taken a turn for the worse," Vander Van Hise said when the last of the MARS executives took his seat. "As you all know, the Mechani-Kong prototype was sent to battle King Kong, as we intended. Unfortunately for us, the military decided that they wanted Kong captured, not dead. In transporting the monster, Mechani-Kong's machine arm malfunctioned, ruining the operation."

"You said that under no condition was the robot to run beyond our mark-up margin!" protested a rat-faced man with a balding head. "The alloy we used could never have supported such weight!"

"Doctor, you are being confrontational," Vander Van Hise said menacingly. The scolded scientist returned to his seat.

"Our sources inside GARD tell us that the Pentagon is less than pleased with Mechani-Kong's baptism of fire. There is talk of taking the contract to another manufacturer." Vander Van Hise's voice dropped to a menacing whisper. "It seems that they still want a mecha-kaiju, but they no longer trust our firm to construct it for them."

Vander Van Hise stared at each man in turn before continuing. "When the Germans invaded Russia, the Russians retreated. But before they retreated, they razed the land, leaving not so much as a single grain of wheat to feed the Germans, not a single house to provide them shelter from the coming winter. If you must loose a battle, it is best to deny the enemy his victory."

"What are you saying?" inquired a middle-aged black man dressed in a pin-stripe suit.

"If the contract does not go to us, it will go to one of our competitors. I do not need to remind anyone how much money there is to be made on a $250 billion contract." Van Hise smiled coldly. "It has become necessary to remove all confidence in the program."

"What do you intend to do?" asked another of the MARS executives.

"What has already been done, gentlemen." Vander Van Hise folded his hands before him on the table. "Our agents within GARD can do more than listen and report."

One of the executives rose from his chair and started to walk toward the door of the meeting room.

"Do what you have to, Vander. I can't listen to anymore. What I don't know can't make me sick."

"I am afraid that we may have to replace Mr. Goldner while we are at it," Van Hise said when the man had left. "A conscience is such an ugly thing."

*****

The tourists on the whale-watching boat marvel as the pod of black and white shapes slid through the foam. They pointed and shouted with glee as the orcas came still closer. A few noted the unnatural speed which seemed to move the whales, the faint hint of fear that seemed to rise from their massive bodies. One and all would share in the marine mammals' fear when a huge form emerged from the water not a hundred yards from the prow of the ship.

Kong's fur hung in wet strands from his body as the monster ape rose from beneath the water. The huge ape reached forward with a giant paw to seize one of the fleeing killer whales. The whale was pulled from the water, writhing in Kong's powerful grasp. The animal vainly tried to sink its teeth into the monster's hand. Kong watched the animal's struggles for a second before advancing on the whale-watchers' boat. People screamed and leaped into the water as Kong raised the whale over his head by its tail and brought it crashing down into the deck of the ship. The orca's neck snapped and the creature's struggles ended as quickly as its life. Kong batted the lolling head to be certain of the kill and turned away from the sinking boat. Slowly, King Kong waded toward the shore.

Kong climbed the rocky surface of one of the small Aleutian Islands, disturbing a rookery of sea birds as he pounded up the craggy shore. The giant ape sat down on top of a cliff overlooking the Pacific and raised his catch to his fanged maw. Kong tore shreds of whale flesh from the dead orca, pausing in his meal only long enough to rip the remains of the machine arm from around his waist. Kong threw the twisted steel far out to sea and roared as the discarded reminder of his mechanical counterpart sank from view.

*****

"It is a perfect opportunity," Colonel Nomura insisted. "We need to test Gigan, what better chance will we ever have?"

"There is still some concern about the safety of your monster, Colonel," Commander Aso said, his voice a low, menacing growl. "There is a debate in Parliament right now about whether or not Gigan should be destroyed. I do not think the Prime Minister will sanction the use of the monster in such circumstances."

"We have a perfect opportunity here!" Colonel Nomura exclaimed. "The Americans have failed to stop Kong with their Mechani-Kong, this is our chance to show that Japan's defender is mightier than America's by accomplishing what they could not! The Americans can hardly protest if Japan wishes to spare them the suffering of a kaiju attack. Plus, the Aleutians are close enough that we can claim that we felt Kong's proximity to Japan constituted a threat to our national security."

Commander Aso rose from his chair and glared at Colonel Nomura. "And what if your monster proves uncontrollable, as everyone fears? The Americans could construe it as an act of war if Gigan starts attacking their cities!" The Japanese general held up his hand to forestall Nomura's protest. "Gigan stays where he is. There will be no debate." 

Colonel Nomura saluted and stiffly marched from the office. Nomura stalked down the corridors of the UNGCC, making his way down to the hangar. He smiled as he greeted the technician examining the complex series of machines that controlled the cyborg monster.

"We have orders," Colonel Nomura stated. "Gigan is to fight King Kong."

The technician stared at the officer. A puzzled look entered his face.

"I received no orders. Who issued them? I thought they were still debating in the Diet?" the white-coated tech said. His eyes grew wider behind his glasses when he saw the short-barreled automatic in Nomura's hand.

"I am issuing the orders. Please, give Gigan the orders," Nomura said, his voice flat and emotionless. "If you don't, I will have to shoot you and do it myself."

Commander Aso swore as alarm klaxons reverberated through the complex. Quickly he gave orders for guards to make their way to the cyborg control room. The military head of the GCC looked over at the monitor on his desk. He watched as the main hangar irised open and a sleek, gold and black form emerged into the morning sky. The cyborg shrieked as it flapped its wings, small jets implanted in its back lending it greater speed. Commander Aso nodded as he watched Gigan head away, in a westerly direction.

"You have made your decision, Colonel," he said gravely. "May the gods grant that we do not regret your brashness."


	4. King Kong vs. Gigan

Godzilla vs ****

Godzilla vs. King Kong

By C. L. Werner

IV

King Kong vs. Gigan

Kong slowly lumbered across the rocky shore. He reared back and thumped his chest, his roar echoing across the water like a thunderclap. The last stubborn Eskimos fled from their fishing nets, leaving the catch flopping under the noonday sun. Kong strode forward more quickly now, reaching for the writhing nets. The giant ape did not pay even the slightest attention as the small town at his back was swiftly evacuated. One foolish man tried to drive the monster away, firing at Kong's back with a high-powered rifle and shouting at the top of his voice. Kong's head snapped around and he snarled at the irritating nuisance. It was all the convincing the man needed and he soon raced away to join his fleeing neighbors.

King Kong returned to his lunch, lifting the entire catch to his fanged jaws and dropping it in. Kong chewed for several moments before pulling the twisted metal net from between his teeth and distastefully dropping it on the shore. The giant ape reached down to grab another net full of fish when his eyes focused upon a still distant object just over the horizon. Kong watched as the flying object drew nearer. Memories stirred within his primitive bestial mind, memories of planes and helicopters, memories of pain and violence. Kong snarled, his lips curling as he observed the approaching threat. More memories stirred in Kong's brain, recollections of a bright, shiny beast not unlike himself. Memories of a treacherous defeat at the hands of his mechanical double. Kong beat his chest and roared. This time, the robot would not trick him.

King Kong turned away from the shore, keeping a wary eye on the fast approaching enemy. The giant ape charged through the small fishing village, flushing a few terrified people who had thought to hide inside their homes. The giant ape made his way to a rocky bluff, a boulder-strewn mound just beyond the small settlement. King Kong climbed to the top of the bluff and roared, defying his enemy to come and face him.

The flying creature soon became more distinct to Kong's vision, no longer a mere speck on the horizon, but a giant shape of wings and claws, of gleaming metal and shining scales. Unlike the strange beast Kong had fought in the desert, this new enemy was not silent and as it closed upon Kong's island, its metal mandibles parted and it answered Kong's challenge with a shrill, metallic shriek.

Kong reached down and tore a huge boulder from the earth, hurling the missile at the cyborg monster, but the enemy was too quick, easily avoiding the projectile. There was almost a mirthful quality in the series of short, bark-like shrieks the cyborg made as it landed a short distance away from the bluff. Gigan gestured at Kong with its scythe-like claws, repeating the mocking series of shrieks. Enraged, the ape ripped an even larger stone from the earth and lifted the massive boulder over his head. With a tremendous effort, Kong threw the mass of rock at the cyborg. This time, Gigan did not try to evade, instead, at the last instant, it brought its adamantium claws smashing into the enormous rock, shattering it into a dozen fragments as easily as the Mechani-kong's Tesla Ray.

Kong roared and charged toward Gigan, enraged at this further reminder of his earlier defeat. At first, the giant ape had thought to merely drive this strange creature off, but now Kong wanted the cyborg's blood! Gigan shriek-barked again, the small, jewel-like prism in its forehead crackling into life and sending a ruby-hued beam searing into Kong's flesh. Incensed by this new indignity, Kong barreled forward; almost reaching Gigan before the cyborg engaged its jets and lifted into the air. Before the giant ape had fully stopped his charge, Gigan settled to the earth once more, again only a small distance away. Again, Gigan shrieked its scorn at King Kong and a bright ruby beam burned a path of singed fur and blistered flesh across Kong's forearm.

King Kong beat his fist against the ground, roaring at this cowardly beast even as he rolled away from a third blast from Gigan's solar cannon. The only response from the cyborg was another peal of barking shrieks. Kong charged ahead, less surprised this time when his antagonist fled into the sky. Unseen, Kong grabbed a toppled tree from the ground.

Gigan returned to earth once more, training its solar cannon on its monstrous enemy once more. This time, the cyborg was startled to see the ape hurl a large, cylindrical object at it. Gigan fired the solar cannon, incinerating the tree before it had even covered half the distance to the cyborg. The delay had been enough. For the third time, Kong charged across the rocky coast to close upon Gigan and for the third time, the cyborg engaged its jets and sailed into the sky. But this time the cyborg was not quick enough.

As Gigan fled into the sky, Kong's massive hands closed around the monster's long, snake-like tail. Roaring with delight, Kong wrenched Gigan from the sky, smashing the cyborg into the ground. Before Gigan could begin to recover, Kong was upon it, leaping upon the cyborg's back and beating the monster's head and neck with savage, pile-driver blows. Gigan shrieked, this time from pain, trying to crane its head around and catch one of Kong's fists with its sharp mandibles or burn the ape with a point-blank blast of its solar cannon, but the sheer weight of the other monster kept Gigan pinned to the earth.

Suddenly, the cyborg grew limp. Kong slapped the scaly neck one last time, growling at the cyborg's head. The giant ape paused for a moment, waiting for a response. Satisfied, King Kong reared back and beat his chest with both fists, roaring his triumph to the Alaskan shore.

The shift of Kong's weight was the opportunity Gigan had anticipated. Before Kong could realize his premature declaration of victory, sharp adamantium claws knocked the giant ape from the cyborg's back. Gigan rose, shrieking a warbled cry of rage. The solar cannon blazed from above the cyborg's visor-like eye, scorching Kong's body at a dozen points. The cyborg followed up on its attack by raking its scythe-like claws across Kong's chest. Bright crimson blood flew across the shore as the giant ape's wounds wept. Kong staggered away from the cyborg's frenzy, clutching at his wounds. Slowly, the great ape gave ground to the cyborg, retreating back toward the rocky bluff. Gigan continued to blast Kong with its solar cannon, more of the ruby-hued beams searing the monster's flesh as Kong continued to weaken.

Kong reached down toward the bluff, as if to again hurl stones at the cyborg. The maneuver was a feint, however, and Kong rushed from his crouched stance and barreled into the cyborg once again. The giant ape closed his powerful arms around Gigan's body and crushed it against his own. Gigan shrieked its own defiance as Kong put every ounce of strength into his bear hug.

The giant ape screamed when the cutter saw embedded in Gigan's chest whirred into life. Gouts of the giant ape's blood soared across the island as the metal blades did their gruesome work. The scream lingered in the air, taking on a life of its own as it continued to rise in pitch. Finally, the giant black form dropped away from Gigan, Kong's chest a gory ruin almost bisected by the cutter blade. Gigan staggered away from its toppled foe, its optical organ studying Kong's body more keenly than the ape had studied the cyborg's.

After several long minutes, the cyborg shrieked an almost jubilant cry. Gigan beat its metal claws together in a grim parody of Kong's own victory gesture. The cyborg considered the bloody carcass for a few moments longer and then engaged its jets once more, returning to the sky. Something akin to pride filled Gigan's organic components as the cyborg set out upon the long journey back to Japan.

It was many hours later when an almost stilled heart began to beat more firmly, when sundered flesh began to slowly knit, blood to replenish itself. As his body began to heal itself, one image rose above the pain in Kong's mind. It was the image of the strange monster which had done this to him. It was the image of the strange monster soaring into the sky and heading back toward the horizon. 

Almost a day had passed before Kong rose from the bloody beach and entered the cold Pacific water again. 

* * * * *

"Colonel Nomura, what you have done is inexcusable!" Commander Aso barked at the dour Japanese officer. "In fact, it is criminal!"

Colonel Nomura bowed low before his superior, not making eye contact as he replied. "I had to take it upon myself to test Gigan. If we let the politicians have their way, they would debate and discuss Gigan's deployment until Godzilla had laid waste to half the country and was starting on the other half!"

"Godzilla is no longer a concern!" Commander Aso snapped. "How long will it take for that fact to sink into your brain?"

"To think Godzilla is no longer a threat is the most absurd form of wishful-thinking," Colonel Nomura spat. "Japan must be ready to destroy the monster when it again comes to ravage our cities. Gigan will be Japan's avenger! Look how swiftly he has destroyed King Kong! He will do the same to Godzilla!"

"You amaze me, Colonel. You are so very certain of Godzilla's menace that you refuse to see the menace your own monster poses. Can't you understand that rather than making Gigan more appealing to Parliament, your display of the cyborg's power has only caused them to become even more afraid of the monster?"

Commander Aso nodded and the armed soldiers standing to either side of Colonel Nomura snapped to attention. The Colonel slowly rose.

"You are being sent to the stockade at our facility in Fukuoka," Commander Aso sighed. "By order of the Prime Minister himself. They are still trying to decide exactly what to call what you have done. I can tell you this, however. It is doubtful if you will ever see sunlight again."

The guards led the stunned Colonel Nomura through the corridors of the UNGCC base and down to the cavernous motor pool. An armored van stood in the loading bay, its rear doors gaping wide, ready to receive its passengers. Still silent, Colonel Nomura and his escort entered the vehicle.

Angry thoughts flowed through Colonel Nomura's mind as the van left the military base. How dare the politicians call him a traitor. It was them and their self-serving, miserly ways that were betraying Japan. How often had he been forced to beg and plead for more funding while researching and developing the project that would eventually yield Gigan? And now, because it served their purposes better, the politicians chose to ignore the threat of Godzilla and instead see one in his cyborg!

Colonel Nomura was still reflecting upon the incredible injustice of it all when his head drooped against his chest. Neither he, nor his guards had become aware of the swiftly mounting drowsiness which seized them. None of the men had seen the slightly discolored air flowing through the van's air vents.

Colonel Nomura awoke with a start. He had heard a gunshot. Suddenly, a second report savaged his ears. The Japanese officer looked about. He was in a dimly lit warehouse. Several tan-uniformed men stood around him. Some distance away he could see the armored van and two more tan-uniformed men with smoking pistols in their hands. The forms of his guards lie just beyond the van, still and unmoving.

"Colonel Nomura," a sharp, but not impolite voice addressed him. Nomura turned his head to see a man wearing a uniform similar to those of the others, but as white as snow. A black-billed peaked cap covered the man's head while a black eye-patch covered one of the man's eyes. A golden dragon glared from the eyepatch.

"I hope you will accept this early parole", the white-uniformed man continued. "Injustice has many martyrs, I trust that you will not be too unhappy to no longer count yourself among them."

"Who are you?" Colonel Nomura challenged.

"I am General Yamoto of the Red Bamboo," the man answered. "We have been watching you for a very long time, Colonel. It is our hope that together, we can fulfill the potential of what you have brought into being."

Colonel Nomura stared coldly at the Japanese terrorist for a long moment.

"We have everything in readiness, Colonel," Yamoto stated smugly. "All we need are the proper codes." 

"Convince me that you should have them, and they are yours", Colonel Nomura said after a moment of thought. General Yamoto laughed as he laid out his vision before the Japanese officer.

* * * * *

The sirens blared into the midnight sky, echoing off the steel canyons of Osaka's buildings. The enormous creature had not been seen until it was in the harbor. It had taken precious minutes to sound the alarm. Even as the first Self Defense forces scrambled to deploy themselves, as the first evacuation procedures were gotten underway, King Kong pulled himself from the water. The giant, dripping monster loomed over the waterfront of Osaka like some fabled demon of Japan's ancient past. Kong snarled and beat his chest.

Kong had swum many leagues to reach the shores of Japan, but instead of fatigue, the monster's anger had given him a vicious vitality. Kong smashed a monstrous fist into the nearest warehouse, scattering wooden shrapnel in all directions. Kong would find his cowardly enemy, and it did not matter to him how long it took or how much he had to destroy to do so.

"You are kidding,"Commander Aso said, incredulously. The Prime Minister bowed his head.

"It has been decided," Japan's political leader declared.

"Only a few hours ago you were all convinced that the cyborg was too much of a menace to ever deploy. Now you want to send it to Osaka?"

"Colonel Nomura's premature actions have shown that Gigan is dependable in a combat situation. It defeated Kong before, now we need it to finish the job."

"And Colonel Nomura?" the GCC commander asked.

"He will be reinstated in an advisory capacity. We have men on their way to Fukuoka now."

Commander Aso shook his head. The ever-changing face of politics never ceased to stun the old military man.

Gigan rose slowly into the air, flapping its wings in tandem with bursts from its jets. The cyborg started to maneuver towards Osaka but suddenly stopped in midair. The startled controllers inside the UNGCC base watched as the cyborg returned, settling at the base of Mt. Fuji. Gigan stood there, silent and immobile, like a sentry standing watch.

"We can't get him to respond Commander," the report came through the speaker in Commander Sao's office. "Gigan is not responding to our commands. The cyborg has flown to the base of Mt. Fuji. Gigan is just standing there, almost as if waiting for something."

Commander Aso glared at the Prime Minister.

"What will we do about Kong?'' the Prime Minister muttered, almost to himself.

"Worry more about what we are going to do about Gigan," Commander Aso answered, reaching for the telephone.

"Dispatch, get me Director Segawa."

Miki Saegusa opened the door of her Tokyo apartment. Despite the late hour, Director Segawa was not surprised to see the young woman alert and fully dressed.

"You were expecting me," the head of the UNGCC stated rather than asked. Miki Saegusa merely nodded her head. Director Segawa sighed, knowing there was no easy way for him to ask the psychic what he wanted her to do.

"It is about Godzilla," Miki declared. It was Director Segawa who nodded his head this time.

"King Kong has come ashore in Osaka and is reducing the city to ruins. Gigan is not responding to our control and the regular military forces are doing little to stop Kong's rampage."

"Why do you come here and tell me this?" there was a numb tiredness in the psychic's voice.

"You already know the answer to that. Once before, you used your powers to make Godzilla do what you wanted him to do. You brought him to Tokyo so that he could combat Destoroyah. We want you to go to Ogasawara and exert your control over Godzilla again. We want you to bring him back to Japan. We want you to make him fight King Kong." 


	5. Gathering of Titans

Godzilla vs ****

Godzilla vs. King Kong

By C. L. Werner

V

A Gathering of Titans

General O'Brien stood before the crew of Mechani-Kong in GARD's war room. The old army general indicated the enormous monitor behind him and the live telecast being displayed within. 

"As you can see, Kong has survived his little dip in the ocean," the General said as the screen showed King Kong tearing apart Osaka's airport with his bare hands. "You already know that Kong was reported in the Aleutians. What is not general knowledge is that the Japanese tried to help us out by having their own mecha project attend to Kong." General O'Brien pointed to a small framed window within the live telecast. Displayed was the still figure of Gigan, tanks and artillery pieces warily taking up position around the cyborg monster. "Apparently, this creature is part organic and part machine. The Japanese have given it the name 'Gigan'. Obviously, Gigan failed in its mission to kill Kong and now Kong has decided to destroy Japan as his way of getting even. To make matters worse, the cyborg is not responding to his controllers at the UNGCC."

"About as bad as it gets," Col. Armstrong sated dryly. The officer's pride had been stung when he had heard of the cyborg's battle with King Kong. Now, in a perverse sort of way, he was pleased that Gigan was giving the Japanese problems.

"For a number of reasons, it has been decided to send Mechani-Kong to Japan to assist the Japanese Self Defense Forces and the UNGCC. I don't have to tell you that a lot of those reasons are political. The eyes of the world are on Japan now."

"So which problem are we supposed to take care of, Sir?" interrupted Capt. Cabot. "Kong or the cyborg?"

"For now, King Kong is the greatest concern. Gigan remains motionless on the slopes of Mt. Fuji. The Japanese still hope that they can figure out why the cyborg is not responding and fix it."

"Are we to subdue Kong?" asked Capt. Wray. General O'Brien shook his head.

"No, it is felt that capturing Kong at this point would cause too many headaches for a lot of important people. Even General Farnsworth isn't asking us to pull our punches this time. Besides, with the machine arm still out of action, capturing Kong would probably be impossible." General O'Brien nodded to his adjutant Lt. Delgado and the officer raised the lights.

"Lt. Delgado has seen to it that Mechani-Kong has been rearmed with plasma grenades and heat seeker missiles in place of the freon bombs and tranquilizers." General O'Brien looked over the three operators of GARD's mightiest weapon. "You leave at once. Do us proud."

Lt. Delgado walked with Col. Armstrong down to the mammoth hangar which housed Mechani-Kong. Technicians and mechanics scrambled as they completed last minute checks on the massive robot. Already, the elevator that would conduct the crew to the cockpit within the Mechani-Kong's head drew near the floor of the hangar. Captains Cabot and Wray walked toward the elevator. Col. Armstrong turned and shook Delgado's hand.

"A lot of people are counting on us. Wish us luck, Lieutenant, that's an order." Colonel Armstrong winked at the junior officer as he departed and joined the rest of his crew on the elevator. Lt. Delgado stared after the commander of the Mechani-Kong, watching as the elevator scaffold withdrew, as the hangar door irised open, as the robot's massive jets lifted it from the bay and into the Nevada sky. Lt. Delgado stared at the empty hangar for a long time before he turned and slowly walked away.

* * * * *

The helicopter slowly descended toward the small cluster of islands. The largest of the chain was Ogasawara, the enormous nuclear energy reactor visible even from this distance. The reactor was Miki Saegusa's brainchild and the young psychic smiled as she saw the structure gleaming in the sunlight. It had taken the Japanese Parliament only a few minutes to approve the construction after Miki Saegusa informed them that the main reason Godzilla was drawn to Japan was to feed. Removing that need would free Japan from the threat of the monster's attacks. The plan had been simple, build a nuclear reactor on Ogasawara for the express purpose of feeding Godzilla. The plan had been derisively called 'Godzilla's lunchbox' but none could say now that it had not been a success. A small team of scientists maintained the reactor and studied Godzilla; already having learned far more about this new monster than fifty years of research had yielded on the older monster. Having almost been raised by humans, the new Godzilla seemed more aware of mankind, and more kindly disposed.

The helicopter circled high above the island. Miki looked down from the window, spying the large canvas canopy that kept the tropical sun off Ogasawara's other monstrous denizen. With Infant Island almost completely dead from ecological abuse, Mothra and her handmaidens the Cosmos had resettled upon Ogasawara. It seemed that neither Godzilla nor Mothra minded the presence of the other, both monsters paying the other little heed. Following her near-fatal battle with King Ghidorah, Mothra had spent almost all of her time in the shelter that had been built for her. There was much speculation that the monster would never recover from so horrible a struggle. 

Miki hoped that such speculation was untrue. She knew, however, that if Mothra did succumb, it would not be the end of the giant insect. Already she had lain the egg that would one day hatch her successor. The psychic's thoughts suddenly turned away from Mothra as the waters below foamed and churned. 

"There," Miki said, pointing over the pilot's shoulder. In the water below, a black, scaly head emerged from the mass of white foam. The reptilian snout turned upwards, the large, red eyes regarding the hovering UNGCC helicopter. Godzilla let a small roar escape his dripping jaws. Miki stared at the monster for a long period, then closed her eyes as she sent psychic feelers into Godzilla's cold-blooded brain. It was several minutes before the young woman again opened her eyes.

"He is going to feed," she told her companions in the helicopter.

"And then?" asked Director Segawa nervously.

Miki watched as Godzilla emerged from the ocean and walked toward Ogasawara's reactor. As the giant reptile drew near the structure, klaxons sounded and the chief curiosity of the reactor's construction displayed itself. Rising upon a hydraulic lift, the reactor's nuclear pile emerged from the roof of the structure, glowing radiation pouring from it like a halo of death. Godzilla stood above the exposed pile and slowly the glow faded away from the pile. When radiation levels fell to almost nothing, the klaxons stopped sounding and the pile withdrew back into the building. Godzilla turned away from the structure and made his way back toward the beach.

"Yes," Miki said quietly, "he is going to follow us back to Japan. Godzilla will fight King Kong."

* * * * *

Vander Van Hise laughed as he read the report for the second time. Vice-president Maxford stood in front of the president of MARS, his face unreadable. The executive had been with MARS for a long time and knew better than to give anyone an idea of what he was thinking, especially Vander Van Hise.

"This is perfect!" the president of MARS chortled, his laughter dry and cackling. The old man beamed at Maxford. "We could not have planned this better if we tried!" Vander Van Hise rose from his chair and walked over to his liquor cabinet, pouring two liberal doses of scotch into a pair of crystal goblets. He handed one of the glasses to Maxford. The younger man sipped slowly from the glass as the old executive bolted half of the liquid and laughed again.

"As long as it happens after the Mechani-Kong has engaged Kong or Gigan, it will be perfect!" Vander Van Hise laughed again. "It will appear that the robot's destruction was due to some battlefield damage," Vander Van Hise's eyes gleamed as a new thought struck the MARS president. "We can even claim that the robot's destruction was due to its' crew's incompetence, rather than any mechanical failing!"

"I think our foreign contract would believe that," Maxford quietly agreed. Vander Van Hise raised his glass and motioned for Maxford to join him.

"To Monsters," the old man toasted. "May the font of horrors never run dry!"

King Kong snarled as he reached down and grabbed the retreating tank. The giant ape clenched his fist, crushing the armored vehicle as though it were made of clay. Kong threw the crushed ball of metal at the rest of the retreating armor, the resulting collision disabling two more of the vehicles. The rest of the column continued to fire as they slowly led the giant ape away from Kyoto. The monster had almost reached Japan's ancient capital before the JSDF had finally managed to turn him. Now, the army commanders desperately hoped to lure the giant ape to the grassy plain to the west of the city. If their plan worked, neither cyborgs nor Godzilla would be needed to end King Kong's reign of destruction.

The remnants of the armor reached the edge of the field. Having at last reached their destination, the tank commanders gave the order to cease fire, not that the shells were having much effect on King Kong to begin with. The giant ape's regenerative powers were almost as incredible as those of Godzilla himself. It would take more trauma than the tanks could inflict to seriously injure Kong. The JSDF high command hoped that the weapon housed on the plain would be able to deal that much damage to the rampaging monster.

Kong began to follow the fleeing tanks into the field when he stopped. The monster's eyes narrowed as he saw the giant metal discs embedded in the earth. Kong had never seen their like before, and to Kong, the unknown was always a threat. The giant ape bared his fangs and snarled at the field of gleaming metal. He did not know the true nature of the discs, did not know that they were weapons developed to battle a different monster in a different time. The field outside Kyoto represented the JSDF's second deployment of the Thunder Control System, a massive system of enormous land mine-like weapons designed to deliver tremendous electrical shocks to whatever might enter their range. It was enough to Kong that they were different from anything he had ever encountered before. The giant ape stopped pursuing the fleeing tanks and glared at the Thunder Beam field suspiciously.

Seeing Kong stop, the rearmost tanks did likewise. Valiantly, the tank crews opened fire on Kong once more. They knew that it would be necessary to goad Kong into entering the field. They also knew that there would be no time for their vehicles to escape the range of the Thunder Beam when it was activated. The shells impacted on Kong's chest, delivering pain, if not actual damage. Kong roared and dropped to his knuckles, charging into the plain.

Almost as soon as Kong entered the field of discs, the Thunder Beam was activated. White-hot artificial lightning erupted from the dozens of immense microwave towers to either side of the field, crackling across the landscape and descending with destructive force upon the metal discs and the half-dozen tanks within their range. Trapped within the sudden maelstrom of electricity, Kong's body was struck again and again by the jagged fingers of man-made lightning. Kong's jaws gaped in a silent scream as his black-furred body twitched and danced under the impact of the thunderbolts. Far away, the JSDF commanders watched as the Thunder Beam did its work. At first, they smiled, but slowly grim expressions came upon their faces.

Synthetic lightning continued to strike Kong, but the giant ape no longer screamed with pain. His body no longer twitched and jerked as each new synthetic lightning bolt struck him. A dull blue glow seemed to surge about the enormous monster. Suddenly, with growing horror, someone at the command center realized what was happening. At once, the Thunder Control System was shut down. The arcs of white fire stopped crackling about King Kong as soon as the switch was thrown. The giant ape looked around him for a moment, as if wondering where the storm had gone. Then, slowly, Kong turned away, his body fairly crackling with the power of a thunderstorm. In trying to heal him during the electrical onslaught, Kong's body had absorbed most of the Thunder Beam's energy. The JSDF watched in silence as an even more powerful King Kong made his way back towards Kyoto.

General Yamoto continued to watch as Colonel Nomura made adjustments to the massive console. It was an exact duplicate of the one buried deep within the UNGCC base, the control device Colonel Nomura had watched over during every facet of its construction. The fact that the Red Bamboo had been able to effect so exact a copy had impressed Colonel Nomura greatly, and it was soon after that the ex-GCC officer had sworn loyalty to the Red Bamboo organization. And with Colonel Nomura's loyalty had come that of Gigan. Still, General Yamoto was not completely satisfied.

"It will go faster if you let my men help," the General commented for the tenth time. Colonel Nomura rose from the consul and shook his head.

"I am completely rewriting the binary language used to communicate with Gigan. You may trust your people enough to have them assist, but I do not. If I do it, I will know it has been done properly. I will know that we will be the only ones capable of controlling Gigan and that he will understand our commands." Colonel Nomura returned to his work.

"Every minute that you leave Gigan at Fuji, the Self Defense Forces surround him with even more tanks and artillery." General Yamoto swore. "And what if the GCC manages to regain control of the cyborg?"

"They won't," retorted Col. Nomura. "I have already erased Gigan's command language, that is why this is taking so long. I have to rebuild his control structure from the base up." Colonel Nomura paused to smile at the Red Bamboo commander. "As for the JSDF, if they want to waste their lives, let them surround my monster. When I am ready, Gigan will not leave one uniform intact."

General Yamoto looked through the blinds of the window beside Colonel Nomura's workstation. "From here, we should be able to see the Diet fall."

"From here, we will hear parliament's screams," Colonel Nomura corrected.

* * * * *

King Kong roared as the giant ape battered the elevated train rail. Electricity crackled from the monster's fingers as they touched the metal. Kong had already grown used to the strange sensation, even begun to figure out how to control the energy which surged through his body. Kong rose from the twisted wreckage and lumbered toward the high-rise buildings beyond. The giant ape had nearly reached the shadowy structures when a blast of burning blue flame struck him, sending him rolling across the rubble-strewn ground.

Godzilla shrieked as he made his way from between the buildings, blasting his prone opponent with another gout of atomic fury. The radioactive flame struck Kong's body, singing fur and burning skin. Godzilla shrieked again and strode towards the reeling ape. Kong rose, roaring and beating his singed chest with bloodied paws. The two titans drew closer to one another, each taking in the measure of his enemy.

In the distance, from a hovering GCC helicopter, Miki Saegusa watched as Godzilla and King Kong circled one another in the ruins of Kyoto's western ward. The psychic tried to tell herself that Godzilla would be triumphant. But she could sense the tremendous rage and fury within Kong and knew that the coming battle was anything but decided.


	6. The Storm Breaks

Godzilla vs ****

Godzilla vs. King Kong

By C. L. Werner

VI

The Storm Breaks

Lieutenant Delgado had been roaming the corridors of GARD's Nevada base for two hours. The officer spoke to no one during his lonely circuit of the facility. At last, Lt. Delgado found himself standing outside the door to his own quarters. The officer unlocked the door and entered the darkened room. He stared at the four walls, as if seeing them for the first time. Delgado's eyes at last settled upon the small oak writing desk which stood in the far corner of the room. Delgado nodded and clenched his hands. The officer walked over to the desk and removed a pad of paper and a pen.

His jaw set with determination, Lt. Delgado began to write.

Kong roared as the searing blue fire singed him as the giant ape leapt to the side of another of Godzilla's atomic blasts. Godzilla tried to follow the ape with the fiery ray, further reducing the structures of Kyoto's west ward to ruins. Kong maneuvered his way closer towards Godzilla, scrambling to try and circle behind the reptile. Once again, a near miss caused the enormous ape to keep his distance. Furious, Kong pounded the ground, flipping massive chunks of concrete and steel at Godzilla. The rubble bounced harmlessly from Godzilla's scaly hide, nothing more than a distraction. The reptile sent another gout of flame at Kong, forcing the giant ape to retreat once more.

Kong beat his chest, snarling at his flame-throwing adversary. Turning from the atomic dinosaur, Kong fled back into what remained of Kyoto's west ward. Godzilla shrieked his contempt, sending yet another blast of radiation after the fleeing monster. The beam again missed the swift ape. Godzilla roared as he stalked into the maze of buildings in pursuit of his foe.

Godzilla lumbered through the silent streets of Kyoto. Rubble and debris choked the streets, fires burned unchecked. A few twisted masses of metal were all that remained of the city's last line of defense. Oblivious to the carnage and ruin all about him, Godzilla's eyes scanned the avenues for some sign of Kong. There was no sign of the giant ape, only the devastation he had wrought.

Suddenly, Godzilla let loose a cry of pain. Searing, shocking agony surged into Godzilla's brain as an electrifying grasp crushed his tail. From behind the cover of a massive tenement building he had only partially destroyed, King Kong had emerged to ambush Godzilla. The ape's powerful hands were closed about Godzilla's tail, tendrils of sparkling energy snaking away from Kong's fingers to ravage Godzilla's nervous system. Kong roared, at last able to come to grips with the flame-throwing Godzilla. As Godzilla struggled to free his tail, Kong pulled on the appendage savagely, like a salve master cracking a whip, sending the enormous reptile's body crashing into a towering office building. The steel and glass structure shattered, raining debris on Godzilla's prone body. Godzilla shrieked angrily as he rose from the rubble, his atomic fire already leaping from his mouth.

Kong was waiting for the atomic dragon. The giant ape rolled beneath the sudden blast of fire and struck Godzilla's throat with a brutal blow of his fist. The reptile staggered back, his beam of fire licking into the sky. Godzilla roared as King Kong wrapped one of his massive arms around the monster's neck. His free hand, Kong closed around Godzilla's snout, forcing the reptile's mouth closed with sheer brute force. Godzilla's own claws drew deep furrows in Kong's back as the talons raked the ape's flesh. But with every contact, Kong's body sent tendrils of shocking electricity into Godzilla to further savage the mutant dinosaur. 

Slowly, by degrees, Kong began to turn Godzilla's neck, forcing the other monster toward the ground. At last, Godzilla was forced to yield, or break his own neck. With an impact that sent a tremor rumbling through Kyoto, Godzilla fell. Kong maintained his grip on the reptile's mouth and neck, trying to keep the beast immobile. Roaring again, Kong leaned down towards Godzilla and sank his fangs into the other monster's shoulder. Godzilla struggled as the giant ape began to worry his reptilian flesh. The monster's massive tail writhed across the ground, smashing walls and splitting asphalt as Godzilla tried to lash his tormentor with the enormous appendage. At last, the tail connected with Kong's body, a powerful blow that sent the titanic ape rolling into a warehouse building. Kong rose from the ruin, shaking his head as he fought off the effects of a mild concussion. 

Godzilla regained his feet, seething with anger. Ravaged by Kong's brute strength and the residual fury of the Thunder Beam, Godzilla's body was wracked by pain. But for Godzilla pain equaled rage and rage equaled power. The dorsal plates on Godzilla's back began to glow, a golden light growing about them. From the rubble, Kong watched as the golden light grew around Godzilla. The giant ape knew that his enemy had become somehow even more powerful. Kong also knew that he had only seconds to react.

With a roar of fury, Kong pounced at Godzilla before the reptile could fully concentrate the enormous radioactive power into another atomic ray of destruction. Kong struggled against Godzilla's body, pushing against Godzilla's jaw, forcing the monster's gaping maw up, away from Kong. Godzilla's entire form trembled as the furious blast of golden energy shot from his mouth to pass harmlessly into the smoky sky. Kong held the reptile fast as the gout of radioactive energy spewed from Godzilla's mouth. Kong waited until the atomic fury had fully passed before releasing his grip on Godzilla's jaw.

Godzilla blared a hate-filled shriek as Kong shifted his grip again to the reptile's neck. With a display of incredible strength, Kong flipped Godzilla's enormous mass over his own body, sending the reptile flying across the avenue. The black-scaled monster crashed into an already weakened skyscraper. The towering structure's base exploded under the impact, the upper stories hurtling downwards. When the dust cleared, the gigantic reptile had been completely buried beneath the rubble.

Kong watched the mound of concrete and steel, watching for any sign of movement. Finally, the giant ape moved forward. Placing a foot on the mound, Kong beat his chest furiously, roaring his triumph to the heavens above and the waters below. His victory proclaimed, Kong turned away from Kyoto, heading into the Japanese countryside to recover from the awesome conflict.

* * * * *

General Yamoto smiled at Colonel Nomura as the ex-GCC officer stepped away from the machinery. The Red Bamboo commander looked at the other members of the organization in the room.

"It is now time, I think, to let Japan know what we are going to do." The one-eyed officer met Colonel Nomura's gaze. "And what we want."

"King Kong has defeated Godzilla!" Capt. Wray announced to the other members of the Mechani-Kong's crew. The captain had been monitoring news reports from Japan all during the robot's long flight across the Pacific.

"Anyone in favor of turning this bucket of bolts around and heading back home?" Col. Armstrong joked. "We got lucky last time. If Kong can put up a good enough scrap to beat Godzilla, we really have our work cut out for us."

"Aw, GARD doesn't have much of a pension plan anyway," Capt. Cabot groused good-naturedly.

"Wait!" Capt. Wray interrupted. "Something else is happening now! Something to do with that cyborg, Gigan!"

For almost an entire day, Gigan had stood upon the slope of Mt. Fuji, as still as any statue. The surrounding Self Defense forces had been wary at first, uncertain of what the monster might do, how it might react to their presence. Now, after hours spent jumping at every noise, staring up at the frightening cyborg, an almost complacent mood had settled over the soldiers. The UNGCC continued to say that they would be able to fix whatever bug had worked its way into Gigan's control system, further lessening the tension. As a result, the JSDF lost precious moments when the cyborg suddenly returned to life.

One instant, Gigan stood immobile, in the next, a warbling, metallic shriek spilt the air. It was all the warning that the JSDF would receive. At once Gigan's solar cannon began to incinerate rows of tanks and howitzers. The monster strode forward, smashing fleeing soldiers beneath its clawed feet. A squadron of elite Maser-jets broke out of their holding pattern to strafe the rampaging cyborg, but found themselves too slow to match the monster's inorganic speed. Gigan turned away from the burning wreckage of the JSDF battalions to train its solar cannon on the attacking jets, burning all but one from the sky. The cyborg engaged its own jets and lifted into the heavens in pursuit of its fleeing adversary. The pilot desperately weaved from side to side, trying every evasive maneuver he had been taught to shake the pursuing cyborg. It was to no avail, Gigan kept coming. At last the cyborg was right behind the frantic Maser-jet ace. With a swipe of its adamantium claw, Gigan swatted the sole-survivor from the sky. The Maser-jet exploded in the soggy morass of a rice paddy, tendrils of oily black smoke rising from the burning wreckage. 

Gigan shrieked a hint of malicious merriment in the monster's voice. The giant cyborg flapped its wings, turning in mid-air. Gigan flew away from the flaming wreckage of the JSDF forces meant to contain him. The cyborg began to wing its way towards Tokyo.

* * * * *

"They will not be able to trace the transmission," General Yamoto boasted. "We are using too many relays for them to find the source in time." The Red Bamboo commander laughed. "Besides, they would never think us bold enough to actually operate from within Gigan's target area!" The one-eyed terrorist laughed again as he turned away from Col. Nomura. "The Prime Minister did not trust you, Colonel. He did not have faith in your cyborg. Now he will learn the folly of his suspicions."

A pair of Red Bamboo soldiers finished their adjustments on the television camera. One of them motioned for General Yamoto to begin.

All across Japan, television broadcasts were suddenly interrupted. All across the island nation, people watched as the image of a red bamboo shoot on a plain black field filled their screens. The image faded to be replaced by a one-eyed man in a white uniform.

"I am General Yamoto, of Red Bamboo," the terrorist announced. "The monster Gigan is under our control." General Yamoto paused to allow the statement to sink in. "Our demands are simple - the corrupt capitalist regime currently governing Japan will step down. Free elections will immediately be held thereafter. Red Bamboo will supervise this process to ensure its legitimacy.

"In order that the people understand the seriousness of the situation, the monster Gigan will destroy the city of Tokyo. We will then wait twenty-four hours. If our demands are not met, Red Bamboo will be forced to send Gigan to destroy another city. Every twenty-four hours after that, if the capitalist regime does not step down, Gigan will reduce another city to rubble."

General Yamoto focused his eye on the lense of the camera, as if looking at the millions of Japanese citizens watching the telecast. "People of Japan, weep not for your dead. Look instead to a bright new future."

The Red Bamboo commander made a gesture with his hand and the cameras were turned off. General Yamoto smiled at Col. Nomura.

"Very dramatic," Nomura said dryly.

"They will listen," General Yamoto said. "After a week, the people will beg Red Bamboo to take over."

"Perhaps," Col. Nomura said quietly. "Perhaps."

The UNGCC helicopter hovered over the mound of rubble in Kyoto's west ward. Miki Saegusa looked down upon the mound, straining her senses to detect any life beneath the mass of concrete. At last she smiled and looked over at Director Segawa.

"He's alive!" she beamed. The woman returned her gaze to the window as the rubble began to shift. Slowly, a black-scaled claw emerged. By degrees an arm and then a shoulder followed. Godzilla roared as he freed himself from his temporary tomb. The titanic reptile glared about the ruins of Kyoto, looking for any sign of King Kong.

"He wants to finish his fight with King Kong," Miki reported. Director Segawa looked at her, his face grave.

"Kong is the least of Japan's problems now." The head of the UNGCC adjusted the small portable TV so that the psychic could see it as the Red Bamboo's ultimatum was rebroadcast.

The barrel of the pistol felt cold as Lt. Delgado placed it against the roof of his mouth. The officer looked one last time at the sheets of writing lying on his desk. 

The sound of the report brought an MP into Delgado's quarters almost at once. Smoke rose from the wound in the officer's head. The MP started toward the body, feeling for a pulse, although he knew that he would find none. It was then that the soldier spied the pages of hastily scrawled writing on the dead lieutenant's desk. He scanned the pages rapidly and raced to the phone on the wall in the corridor outside.

"Put me through to General O'Brien!" the MP growled. "Lt. Delgado has committed suicide and the General has to know why at once!


	7. Sho-down in Big Tokyo

Godzilla vs ****

Godzilla vs. King Kong

By C. L. Werner

VII

Sho-down in Big Tokyo

King Kong dipped his paw into the ruptured grain silo again and pulled a mass of wheat from the broken silo. As the enormous ape made to put the food into his mouth, he froze. In the distance, Kong could see the city of Kyoto. Lumbering away from the city and into the sea was a familiar shape, a form which caused Kong's lip to curl in anger. Kong dropped the contents of the granary on the ground and beat his chest with his powerful fists, roaring his fury. The huge ape dropped to all fours and charged across the fields back toward the city. 

Godzilla could hear Kong's mighty roar. The giant reptile stopped and began to turn back towards the still-distant Kong. Godzilla looked skyward, seeing the small helicopter that hovered nearby. He could feel the subtle psychic waves emanating from the craft, from Miki Saegusa. Reluctantly, the monster continued his walk to the sea. The gentle, comforting voice in his mind was urging him away, leading him to another place and another enemy. The crafty King Kong would have to wait.

Kong was still distant when Godzilla entered the water. The ape roared his frustration when he saw Godzilla begin to swim away. Kong rushed onwards, entering the water in pursuit of his revived foe. As the monstrous ape's body made contact with the sea, tendrils of electricity snaked away, slithering through the water with a life of their own. Kong could feel the power seeping from him and at once leapt back onto the shore. The ape roared again, bellowing his fury at the half-submerged reptile. Shaking his fist at Godzilla, King Kong loped away. The enormous ape removed himself some distance from the shore. He could still see Godzilla from his position. With great loping strides, Kong began to follow the aquatic reptile along the coastline, trying to keep pace with Godzilla, knowing that sooner or later, Godzilla would again make landfall and when he did, Kong would be waiting.

Gigan's metallic shriek resounded across the city of Tokyo. The giant cyborg made short work of the horde of fast-attack helicopters that had been sent to intercept Gigan after the Red Bamboo had announced its intentions. Now, the towering monstrosity of metal and beast slipped from the sky, its clawed feet crushing a section of warehouses. Gigan beat its adamantium claws together, shrieking again. The cyborg's blood-red visor peered at the mass of vehicles of every size and description choked the expressways leading out of Tokyo. Ever since General Yamoto's telecast, the roads out of the capital of Japan had looked like this, a chaotic mess with most of Tokyo's population trying to escape the doomed city. A thousand sets of fear-widened eyes turned toward Gigan as the cyborg shrieked again. The gem-like device above its visor glowed for a moment before a beam of ruby-hued energy left it, to burn across the choked expressway, incinerating all in its path. Gigan surveyed the charred wreckage as the few survivors' struggles to escape the holocaust. The cyborg shrieked its malevolent mirth and rose into the air once more. Expressway Number Two was but one of many that led out of the city, and all would be similarly choked with those who thought to escape Gigan's rampage. On its own, perhaps the cyborg would not have bothered with the refugees, but it had received its orders and it would obey its programming. Gigan rose into the air once again and slowly flew towards the harbor and its ships with their human cargoes.

Gigan's solar cannon blazed across the waterfront, striking a whaling ship as it left the docks, people filling every square inch of deck. The ship exploded under the ray of destruction, burning figures leaping from the wreckage into the water. Again and again, Gigan's solar cannon blasted the fleeing ships, spilling their pathetic cargoes into a sea of burning oil. Nor did the cyborg spare the docks, with those who had not yet embarked. The wooden structures soon became funeral pyres for thousands. Above the screams and explosions, Gigan's shriek announced the advent of doom. Like an angry god of death, the cyborg landed on the waterfront and began to slash at the warehouses and fisheries with his claws, seeking to entomb those who thought to find refuge within.

Far off, near the Diet, Colonel Nomura and General Yamoto watched the massacre. The Red Bamboo commander's mouth hung open with shock, the full horror of what he had unleashed dawning upon him. At his side, Colonel Nomura laughed a touch of madness in the sound.

"I meant for Gigan to destroy the city, I never intended for it to do this!" the terrorist said to himself.

"They are without honor!" spat Nomura. "They have suffered a corrupt regime to control them! They would make peace with Godzilla! The scum that did this!" Nomura let his prosthetic claw clank noisily against the wall. "All who are without honor must die!"

General Yamoto grabbed the ex-GCC officer. "You must stop this! Gigan will kill everyone!"

"Yes," admitted Nomura, a maniac's smile twisting his face even more. "Gigan will kill everyone! None shall escape!"

"You have to stop him!" demanded General Yamoto, flinging the madman away from him, in the direction of Gigan's controls. Nomura stared at General Yamoto and laughed again.

"Did you really think I cared about your cause?" Nomura mocked. "As though one set of corrupt, scheming cowards is better than another? Idiot, I used you, you did not use me! You gave Gigan back to me! You gave me the instrument of my revenge!"

General Yamoto pulled the pistol from his holster and pointed it at the lunatic. "Give the order for him to stop!'' By way of answer, Nomura just laughed at the man. "I warn you, Colonel, I will shoot you."

"Go ahead and shoot!" Nomura taunted. The mocking look remained on his face even as General Yamoto sent three bullets into the madman's belly. Nomura sank to the ground, blood burbling from his mouth. General Yamoto leaned over the dying traitor.

"We will stop him," he said to the dying man. "My men will regain control of Gigan." Nomura smiled up at the Red Bamboo commander.

"There isn't time," Nomura laughed. "When Gigan finishes with the docks, he will come here. You are all already dead!" Nomura laughed again as General Yamoto recoiled in horror. "I have given him his orders. Gigan will destroy everything! Not just Tokyo, but everything! When he is finished, there will not be a single living thing left in Japan!" Nomura smiled as his last breath left his mouth, "All shall pass with me."

* * * * *

Gigan turned away from the waterfront, the cyborg's ray sizzling through an overladen ocean liner that was just picking up steam. The cyborg shriek-laughed again, but the sound was cut short when a nimbus of fire erupted against its left shoulder. The incendiary bathed the cyborg in flames. Gigan rolled across the ground, trying to smother the clinging flames. When the cyborg arose, it was just in time to intercept a second plasma grenade with its solar cannon. More of the bombs streamed toward the murdering monster. Gigan warbled in alarm and engaged its jets not to ascend but to quickly slip away from the firestorm that claimed its previous position. In the sky overhead, the shining form of the Mechani-Kong descended toward the cyborg.

"Almost got that butchering bastard!" cursed Captain Cabot when he saw Gigan escape the fusillade of plasma grenades.

"Let's see how spry he is when he is trying to avoid the Tesla Ray," Colonel Armstrong commented as he maneuvered the Mechani-Kong closer. 

Gigan had managed to remove most of the plasma that had clung to its shoulder and was just beginning to lift back into the sky when the Tesla Ray licked across the smoldering streets of Tokyo and struck the cyborg. The malevolent construct was hurled backwards by the ray's impact, crashing into a string of shops and homes. As the cyborg started to rise, a salvo of heat-seeking missiles thundered into its body. Gigan's shriek was broken and distorted as the cyborg again rose from the debris.

"Better stick to the Tesla Ray," Captain Wray reported to her commander. "The heat-seekers aren't having much effect on him."

Following the Captain's advice, the Tesla Ray lashed out at Gigan again. The nimble cyborg avoided most of the blast and fired it own solar cannon at the robot. The solar energy impacted against the robot's armor. The Mechani-Kong staggered away from the blow.

"If that is the best he's got, we're in business!" exclaimed Col. Armstrong. "That didn't even lower the thermal shields ten percent." A grim look came across the officer's features. "Time to introduce this monster to pain."

The Tesla Ray struck one of Gigan's wings, shredding the syth-flesh. Gigan was staggered by the blast, his own solar cannon attack being knocked far off target, striking the Mechani-Kong's head instead of its body. The accidental blow had devastating consequences. The Mechani-Kong's electrical systems flickered for a moment.

"That shot damaged the Tesla Ray," Capt. Wray announced. 

"Doesn't matter, he's not going to wait for us to fix it!" Col. Armstrong snapped back. Gigan was scrambling towards the Mechani-Kong, clacking its claws together in anticipation of closing with the robot.

A barrage of heat-seeker missiles impacted harmlessly against the cyborg's chest. The Mechani-Kong's hand closed around one of the plasma-grenades fixed to its midsection and made to hurl the incendiary at the cyborg. Gigan's solar cannon flashed and the ruby-ray ignited the plasma grenade in the robot's hand. The jellied plasma blazed harmlessly on the metal surface. The adamantium claws which followed did not. Gigan's lethal appendages battered the Mecahni-Kong's hull in a brutal frenzy of blows. The robot tried to fight the cyborg off with its own mechanical strength. Gigan's cutter saw began to whir. The cyborg gripped one of the robot's arms with its claws and pulled it down towards the whirring blade. Metal met metal and the Mechani-Kong's forearm went spinning into Tokyo Bay.

"He did some serious damage with that one!" Capt. Cabot shouted. "I don't need Ann to tell me that!"

"I'm getting us out of here," Col. Armstrong snarled. "If we stay here that thing is just going to slice us up!"

The Mechani-Kong began to pull away from Gigan. The cyborg struck its body several times with its claws, denting the armor further and dealing still more damage to its internal systems. As the robot lifted into the air, the cyborg's solar cannon tracked it, scouring the robot with its thermal energy. One of the beams hit the exposed area of the robot's severed arm. There was a tremendous explosion and the crippled robot fell from the sky, devastating an area of manufacturing plants with its impact. Gigan waited for its metal enemy to rise. When it did not, Gigan's shriek of triumph warbled across the desolation. The cyborg began to march toward the Diet.

"It's heading for the Diet!" Miki Saegusa shouted with sudden horror. The UNGCC helicopter hovered over the blazing debris of Tokyo's waterfront.

"It also appears that the Americans were unsuccessful in stopping it," Director Segawa said grimly as he spotted the Mechani-Kong lying in a pile of rubble.

"Then Godzilla is Tokyo's only hope!" the young psychic said.

Godzilla emerged from the burning waters of Tokyo Bay. The monster could dimly remember being here before. It seemed long ago that he had come here and fought against the hideous mutation called Destoroyah. It was then that the only other of his species he had ever known had perished. Godzilla despised this place because of that. The urge to lash out upon the landscape swelled within his titanic form. Even the calming voice inside his head did little to calm his sudden rage. Abruptly, Godzilla could feel that rage being redirected. Perhaps the soft voice was responsible. The image of a grotesque gargoyle-like beast filled his mind. Godzilla roared angrily and entered the burning city to seek out and destroy the monster he saw in his mind.

Godzilla followed the path of destruction through the maze-like streets of Tokyo. He could hear the sounds of the other monster's metallic shrieks as the cyborg continued its rampage towards the Diet. Godzilla could see Gigan's claws shining in the sunlight as the cyborg swiped at the buildings to either side of it, reducing the earthquake-proof towers to piles of debris. Godzilla watched the carnage for a moment, his lip curling with rage. Silver light crackled about the reptile's dorsal plates. Godzilla sent a blast of burning atomic flame into Gigan, pitching the cyborg into the ground. Godzilla stalked forward, pressing the attack. Taken by surprise, the cyborg retreated from the fiery assault.

Suddenly, a massive, black form leapt from the rows of burning structures, barreling into Godzilla, casting the mutant dinosaur into a line of brick structures. King Kong roared at the toppled giant, beating the reptile's head with his powerful fists. Godzilla shrieked and blasted the giant ape off of his body with gout of fiery breath. Kong jumped away from the reptile, fur and flesh smoking from Godzilla's flame. Kong beat his fists against his chest and roared his challenge back at Godzilla.

Unnoticed by both, Gigan slowly regained its feet. The cyborg's optics targeted the two battling monsters, wavering from one to the other as it tried to decide which to target with its solar cannon. Gigan shrieked with mirth. It would wait; it would let the two monsters fight. Whichever was victorious would be severely weakened and easy prey for Gigan.

* * * * *

General O'Brien read the hastily scrawled suicide note of Lt. Delgado. It was a confession of sorts, a confession which made the general's face grow pale.

"Get me communications with the Mechani-Kong at once!" General O'Brien bellowed. "That robot is a walking time bomb!"

An equally pale-faced comms-officer looked up from his station. "Sir, we can't raise Colonel Armstrong!"

General O'Brien cursed under his breath. He gave the order to keep trying to raise the Mechani-Kong's crew before he left the GARD command center. He had other things to take care of. Lt. Delgado had been very specific in his statement and General O'Brien was determined that the ones who had thought to sabotage the robot and kill his men would be brought to justice.

The Mechani-Kong rose from the ruins, its movements shaky and jerking. The robot 's jets soon came on-line and lifted the battered machine into the air.

"How are we doing?" Col. Armstrong asked his crew.

"The Tesla Ray is out, but we still have a half-dozen plasma grenades and the short-range masers," captain Cabot reported.

"Shields are holding at about seventy-percent, but fluctuating as low as forty," Capt. Wray added. "Communications are out as well."

"When they get this bucket of bolts patched together again, we owe that monster an extreme ass-kicking!" Col. Armstrong declared.

"Sir, the Japanese press transmissions report that Godzilla is being used to fight Gigan," Capt. Wray reported.

"Good, let him take a few of the hits for once," Capt. Cabot remarked. The other captain's grim expression killed his good humor.

"They say that Kong has just arrived and is fighting Godzilla!" she announced.

"What is the cyborg doing?" Col. Armstrong asked sharply.

"Nothing, just standing back and watching the battle."

"Wonderful," Col. Armstrong declared. "He'll sit back and let Kong and Godzilla beat each other half to death and then finish the job!" Col. Armstrong looked at each of his subordinates. "Like it or not, we have to see that doesn't happen. Jack, get the masers ready and see if you can coax anything more out of the Tesla Ray. Ann, forget about comms, keep those shields working. Spit and luck may be all that is holding this crate together, but it'll have to be enough."

More slowly than before, the shining robot ape turned in midair and began to fly towards the Diet and the monstrous creatures battling there. And somewhere inside the giant machine's innards, a countdown slowly approached the zero hour.


	8. 

Godzilla vs ****

Godzilla vs. King Kong

By C. L. Werner

VIII

A Tale of Two Kings

King Kong wiped a burnt and bruised paw across his mouth, wiping away the blood trickling from the corner. To punctuate the motion, Kong sent the bloodied fist hammering into the snout of his raging reptilian adversary. Godzilla shrieked in rage as the blow connected, shattering a pair of the monster's fangs. Godzilla retaliated with a powerful swipe of his massive tail, battering Kong's tail. Before Godzilla could withdraw his appendage, however, Kong's hands closed around it, sending more painful tendrils of electricity surging into the reptile's body.

Gigan watched the melee intently, awaiting the right moment in which to strike. There would come a point when both of the struggling behemoths were too fatigued by their struggle to survive Gigan's assault, and when that moment arrived, the cyborg would act. Gigan clacked its claws together and shrieked in anticipation.

The cyborg did not notice the shining metal object that swiftly approached it from behind. Indeed, Gigan did not realize that it had been marked for death until the plasma bomb impacted against its back, engulfing its tri-wings in a scalding inferno of jellied hellfire. As the Mechani-Kong drew nearer, the maser cannons hidden within the robot's eyes lashed out, blasting the cyborg. Gigan shrieked in pain, scuttling away from the attack. Gigan's solar cannon scoured the Mechani-Kong's armor, causing the stump of the robot's arm to steam and smoke. The metal ape began a slow descent, still tracking Gigan with its masers even as the cyborg rolled across the broken ground in a desperate attempt to douse the flames devouring its back.

Godzilla and King Kong lie upon the rubble-strewn streets of Tokyo, Kong's powerful arms locked about Godzilla's throat, squeezing the life from the monstrous reptile while ravaging his nervous system with a continual surge of electricity. By degrees, the reptile was loosing consciousness even as the spines upon his back began to glow. It was a race, Kong's stranglers grasp against Godzilla's nuclear power, and it seemed that the giant ape would win the race, choking the life from Godzilla before Godzilla could unleash a nuclear pulse to drive the mammoth simian away. Then something struck Kong's back.

Gigan's pain-wracked form rolled and writhed across the streets of Tokyo, the Mechani-Kong's masers chasing it across the rubble. At last, Gigan escaped the range of the masers, succeeding to some degree in shedding the jellied incendiary and the scorched flesh it clung to. But its agonies had carried it in the worst possible direction. Gigan rolled into the area of Kong and Godzilla's conflict, its cyborg body thudding against King Kong's back.

Kong roared as he turned his head and saw the cyborg monster slowly picking itself from the ground. The memory of this creature and the pain it had inflicted upon him was what had drawn Kong across the ocean, brought him to Japan. Kong could still remember the incredible pain Gigan had visited upon him. King Kong released his grip on Godzilla's throat.

Gigan shrieked wrathfully at the Mechani-Kong, blasting the robot with its solar cannon. With its solar collector tri-wing gone, the beam fizzled as it struck the robot, but even so, the Mechani-Kong took a few stumbling steps backwards. Gigan's metallic voice warbled in mirth. Then a hairy arm wrapped itself around the cyborg's throat.

Kong pulled against Gigan's neck as he battered the cyborg's head with his free hand. The colossal ape roared his fury at his enemy, the sound shattering what few windows had thus far survived the battle. Kong's body pressed against the scorched raw flesh of Gigan's back, the electrical charge in the simian's body racing through Gigan's, shocking and frying the cyborg's electrical systems. White foam began to bubble out of Gigan's mouth and its crimson visor began to dim.

But Gigan was a cyborg, and even with its robotic systems being ravaged by the current of electricity, Gigan was not wholly at Kong's mercy. The cyborg's organic components were still active. With a shockingly swift motion, Gigan swept both of its claws over its head and plunged them into the simian body of its enemy. The adamantium blades dug deeply into Kong's flesh, causing the monster ape to scream in pain. The grip about Gigan's throat lessened. It was all the opening the cyborg needed. With a strength beyond the merely organic, Gigan pulled Kong's impaled body over its own. King Kong crashed into the pavement at Gigan's feet. The cyborg warbled mirthfully and withdrew its claws and made to strike Kong's prone body again.

King Kong did not give the cyborg the chance. Kong's massive hands closed about Gigan's legs. Kong pulled the cyborg to the ground, using the motion to launch himself on top of Gigan. The ape's powerful fists hammered Gigan again and again, seeking to beat all life from the artificial beast. Then Kong's eyes closed upon the silent, watchful figure of the Mechani-Kong. The sight of yet another enemy was too much for Kong. The simian giant snarled, picking Gigan from the ground by the cyborg's neck and tail. With a tremendous effort, King Kong hurled the injured cyborg into the robot, sending both crashing into a block of storefronts.

Kong beat his chest and roared, advancing toward the two fallen constructions of man. A blast of radioactive fire impacted against the ape's shoulder, scorching his flesh and ravaging his body further. Kong turned, glaring hate at Godzilla as the reptile returned to the fray. Again, the two kings began to slowly pace around one another.

King Kong lunged at Godzilla even as Godzilla sent another blast of atomic flame searing into Kong's body. Blood roared from the hideous wound as Godzilla's flame passed through a ragged hole in Kong's stomach. Too maddened to notice the ghastly injury, the mortally wounded Kong crashed into Godzilla. Godzilla's claws again raked Kong's flesh, ripping ribbons of flesh and fur from his foe. Kong struck back, punching and biting his reptilian antagonist, but the streams of electricity were not so strong now. The store of power from the Thunder Beam was finally being used up. Soon Kong would only have his brute strength with which to combat Godzilla, and that too was fading fast.

Godzilla roared as Kong's hand gripped the bottom of his jaw. The ape was slowly trying to push Godzilla's head backwards, to snap his neck. Godzilla tried to twist and turn, tried to resist the ape's grip. But, like Kong, Godzilla too had his limits and he was also nearing the point of fatigue.

* * * * * *

Miki Saegusa watched the conflict, her eyes moist with anguish. Godzilla was taking an incredible amount of damage and the psychic's empathy with the monster she had once known as 'Baby' let Miki know exactly how intense that suffering was. She could sense that King Kong was fading fast, his life-force flickering like a candle in the wind, but it did not reassure her much. The monster ape had enough strength left in his body to still kill Godzilla. 

Then, Miki's eyes grew wide with shock. She looked over at the smoking ruins that had collapsed around Gigan and the Mechani-Kong. 

"What is it?" asked Director Segawa, noting Miki's sudden start.

"Gigan," the psychic stated. "Gigan isn't dead."

Gigan rose from the rubble, shaking stone and steel from its ravaged body. It swatted the metal body beneath it with one of its claws, warbling contentedly when the robot did not react. The cyborg's visor flickered back into life and Gigan scanned the terrain. Some distance away, Gigan sighted Kong and Godzilla, once again locked in a dance of death. Gigan shrieked malevolently and began to march toward the melee, the sawblades in its chest whirring into life.

Colonel Armstrong looked about the Mechani-Kong's cockpit. Here and there wiring had escaped the confines of computer banks and terminals while the interior lighting flickered fitfully. Col. Armstrong craned his neck around and looked over at the workstations of his fellow crewmembers. Each was groggily returning to full awareness after the violence of Gigan's impact with the robot. Armstrong shook his head again. He was hearing voices. Still somewhat disoriented the commander of GARD's chief anti-Godzilla weapon tried to find the source of the small tinny voice.

"… GARD control to MK-601… MK-601, respond… MK-601, sabotage has resulted in a bomb being placed within the robot…GARD control to MK-601, evacuate the robot at once…GARD control to MK-601…" the tinny voice sounded from the comms station near Captain Wray. The violence of Gigan's impact had served to jostle the comms array back into a semblance of functionality. The result was less than comforting. 

"Jack, Ann, you hear that?" Col. Armstrong waited for a moment. A pair of moaned responses told him that his crew had heard the message from their headquarters.

"Sir, we can't raise GARD," Capt. Wray reported after fussing with the comms array.

"It doesn't matter, Ann," Col. Armstrong replied. "It's time to jump ship. They've made that much clear."

Gigan closed upon Kong and Godzilla. The cyborg's saw gouged Kong's side. The huge ape broke away from Godzilla, roaring painfully. Gigan lashed out at the fading simian with one of its adamantium claws, striking Kong in the chest. A gout of blood fountained from the wound and Kong fell to the street. Gigan turned away from the fallen ape as a blast of atomic fire struck it in the side. The ray was far less powerful than the one which had mortally injured King Kong and Godzilla's weakened breath did not even phase the cyborg. Shrieking with malevolent mirth, Gigan beat its claws together and advanced toward Godzilla.

Godzilla roared and blasted the oncoming cyborg again with his flame. For the second time, the weakened fire failed to penetrate Gigan's armored hide. The cyborg brought an adamantium claw crashing against Godzilla's head and pulled the reptile towards itself. The whirring blade of Gigan's saw nicked Godzilla's scaly hide. Godzilla tried to pull away from the cyborg's murderous blade, but his titanic struggle with Kong had been too much. Gigan clacked its metal mandibles as it strained. Inch by inch, Godzilla's body began to be pulled back towards Gigan's revolving cutter blade.

"Sir, Gigan has just finished off Kong and is now trying to bisect Godzilla with his cutter saw!" Capt. Wray shouted. The report froze Col. Armstrong as he rose from his command chair.

Col. Armstrong swore under his breath and sat back down, snapping his harness back in place.

"Jack, Ann, make your way to the escape pod," Col. Armstrong ordered, not looking at either of his subordinates.

"What the hell do you think you're playing at!" exclaimed Capt. Cabot, angrily marching toward his superior.

"We haven't finished our job, Gigan is still threatening Tokyo," Col. Armstrong stated calmly.

"Have you forgotten that this bucket is a walking bomb!" bellowed Capt. Cabot incredulously.

"No, I haven't," Col. Armstrong retorted. Capt. Cabot's eyes narrowed with understanding.

"Leave the kamikaze stuff to the Japs," Capt. Cabot snarled. By way of response, Col. Armstrong pulled the revolver at his side and pointed it at the insubordinate Captain.

"If that monster isn't stopped, thousands of people are going to die. Don't forget what that thing did in the harbor! If my life is the price to keep that devil from doing that again, then I would call that a pretty good bargain."

"But Colonel," pleaded Capt. Wray. Col. Armstrong shot her a wry smile.

"My minds made up," Armstrong declared. "We don't know how long we have until the Mechani-Kong goes up, so you two better get going."

"Not without you!" swore Capt. Cabot, rushing toward the command chair. Col. Armstrong did not hesitate but sent a bullet crashing into the man's shoulder. Capt. Wray raced over to her wounded comrade.

"I won't pull my next shot, Jack," Col. Armstrong promised. "If you stay here, you are dead anyway, so don't think I won't do it." He gestured toward the hatch leading from the Mechani-Kong's cockpit. Slowly at first, the two captains moved toward the hatch. Col. Armstrong smiled at his crew as the door irised shut behind them. He turned his eyes to the flickering image of the battle outside, watching as Gigan struggled with Godzilla.

"Now lets see if I can't send your ugly carcass back to Hell."

Godzilla screamed as his radioactive blood gushed from the deep cut in his midsection. Gigan shrieked and continued to pull Godzilla closer. The cyborg would let its blade cut deeper and deeper. Soon the saw blades would begin chewing through Godzilla's internal organs and bones. The cyborg would not stop until its enemy lie on the ground before it in bisected halves. The cyborg shrieked again as it pulled Godzilla a little closer.

Suddenly, Gigan's head was enveloped in flame as a plasma bomb impacted against its head. The surprise attack made the cyborg stagger away from Godzilla, releasing its captive. Blinded by the fires raging against its optics, Gigan did not see the massive metal form which rocketed awkwardly across the ruins of Tokyo and slammed into it. Mimicking the tactics of its flesh-and-blood namesake, the Mechani-Kong's arm wrapped itself around Gigan's neck and pulled the cyborg close to its own body. Gigan struggled in the implacable grip, even as it struggled to shed the burning incendiary clinging to its face.

Godzilla watched the two machine-monsters as they wrestled. The radioactive reptile was too fatigued to do any more. Gigan's attack had weakened Godzilla beyond anything the monster had felt since his defeat at the claws of the adult Destroyer. Godzilla knew that there was little he could do to effect the contest, knew that if the machine fell, there would be no chance of his beating off the cyborg. 

Gigan brought its adamantium claws crashing against the shoulder joint of the Mechani-Kong's arm. By degrees, the powerful impacts were denting and warping the metal. By degrees the arm was coming loose. By degrees, Gigan was freeing itself. The cyborg shrieked as the powerful grasp at last lessened, as the arm fell lifeless from the robot's body. But the cyborg's cry went unheard, consumed in the terrible sound which followed it.

The explosion rocked structures across Tokyo, a bright flash of violence visible even to ships far out at sea. Where once had stood the towering figures of the Mechani-Kong and Gigan, there was a terrific fireball. As smoke lifted, a thirty-foot deep crater in the earth told of where the Mechani-Kong had stood. Shards of metal shrapnel were flung across the city. Only the closest of inspections would ever reveal to which monster they belonged, cyborg or robot. 

Godzilla roared as the column of smoke rose into the sky. The injured reptile began to slowly lumber back toward the bay, back toward the sea. This was an evil place; twice it had nearly claimed Godzilla's life. The monster had no desire to prolong his stay.

Godzilla lifted his foot to enter the water when a powerful grip held upon his leg. Godzilla glared down at the mangled, bleeding shape of King Kong. The fading ape snarled up at the reptile. Dying or not, Kong was unwilling to concede the battle. Godzilla shrieked at Kong, pulling his leg from the simian's hold. Godzilla lashed out with his long, muscular tail, battering the wounded giant. Kong was too far-gone to evade the titanic blows and the mammoth tail smashed into his body again and again.

Finally, Godzilla stopped his attack. He looked at the still, charred, bloody body of his enemy. Godzilla roared his own triumph and set his foot down on the furry mass. The reptile kicked the body into the bay, watching as its mass sank beneath the water. Godzilla waited for a moment, as if waiting to see if Kong would rise again. But Godzilla was tired of battle. The mutant dinosaur soon followed the ape into the water and likewise sank beneath the waves.

There would be other battles, to be sure. But for now, Godzilla was going home, to Ogasawara and a much-needed rest.


	9. 

Godzilla vs ****

Godzilla vs. King Kong

By C. L. Werner

Epilogue

In the private office of Vander Van Hise, president of MARS USA, all was quiet. The man sitting in the chair behind Van Hise's desk was silent. He was a young Chinese man, wearing a black business suit and topcoat, a white cravat around his neck. A lit cigarette was in his left hand, held upright, slowly burning down towards the filter. The man's eyes were focused upon the door leading into the office.

The door at last opened, and the figures of Vander Van Hise and vice-president Maxford entered the room. They did not notice the man seated behind Van Hise's desk until that man spoke.

"You took a long lunch," the Chinese man stated in an unemotional voice. The heads of Vander Van Hise and Maxford snapped around and faced the Chinese. 

"Who the Hell are you?" Vander Van Hise shouted at the smiling Chinese. The president of MARS sighed as he realized that he was probably speaking to a representative of one of MARS' foreign divisions. In a slightly calmer voice, "We were detained at court. We've been indicted by the government of the United States."

"You were very sloppy," the Chinese man said, no longer looking at the two executives. "I hear that your agent killed himself, but not before leaving enough evidence to trace back to this office."

"They won't prove a thing!" Van Hise snarled. "We have the best lawyers money can buy."

"Still, the US military is withdrawing all contracts from MARS," the Chinese man stated. "The company's name is being smeared across papers across the globe."

"What are you getting at?" challenged Maxford, advancing toward the smug Chinese.

"You have embarrassed MARS, caused the company tremendous financial loss and incredible devaluation in market shares." 

"What are you saying?" Vander Van Hise said, glaring at the Chinese man with suspicion.

"You are being let go," the Chinese man dropped the cigarette. In a single smooth action, he leapt from the chair, a pair of matched automatics appearing in his hands as if by magic. Four shots sounded in the office as four bullets left the pistols in rapid succession. Maxford dropped, a bullet between his eyes and another in his heart. Vander Van Hise had started to fall to the floor as soon as the Chinese had started to move. As a result, one shot had missed him completely and the other had struck his shoulder. 

The assassin walked over to the screaming executive. He glared down at Vander Van Hise and pointed the automatics at him.

"Who the Hell are you?" the wounded man demanded again. The killer smiled down at him.

"When you get to Hell, there will be many who can tell you," the killer did not hesitate but sent a bullet from each automatic slugging into Vander Van Hise's head and heart.

As the Chinese man stalked away from the bodies of his victims, the first of the security guards rushed into the room. The killer almost seemed not to even look at them as he dodged to one side of the office, sending a barrage of bullets hurtling at the guards. The projectiles slammed into the uniformed bodies, lifting the first guard off his feet and crashing into a glass-topped coffee table. The second guard managed to fire his own pistol once. The shot went wide and a return salvo from the automatics ensured that the guard would not get a second chance.

The killer rose from the floor and proceeded to walk toward the door. There were thirty security guards on duty in the MARS Los Angeles building. Sometimes, Jeffrey Chow hated to accept the easy assignments.

Dr. Weissmann busied himself with the final adjustments to the control panel. The old geneticist stared again at the enormous creature behind the fibre-glass panel. He smiled benignly at the creature and returned to his task. After a moment, the adjustment was completed and Dr. Weissmann approached the glass.

"I am sorry, my friend," the eccentric scientist said to the creature behind the glass. "For the time being, I am afraid that you will have to sleep. Your brother made quite a mess of Tokyo." Dr. Weissmann smiled again. "I know it wasn't his fault, but they will still blame him."

Dr. Weissmann shook his head sadly and began to walk away from the glass, keeping his eyes on the beaked creature beyond the glass.

"Someday they will have need of you, my friend. They will forget all about this mess with Gigan." Dr. Weissmann nodded to himself. "You will see, one day the monsters will come back and then they will say it is time."

The old scientist hobbled toward the heavy metal security door which led out of the room.

"One day they will have need of you," he said over his shoulder to the creature. "One day they will say it is time for Borodan to defend Japan."

A huge black shape rose from the water. The surf lapped about its legs as the monster set foot upon the shore of the island. The behemoth's roar echoed from the distant mountain peaks. The small group of soldiers and scientists stationed on the island heard the sound and trembled.

Skull Island's king had returned.


End file.
